Necessary Sacrifices
by Lady Mackenzie Luv
Summary: Isabella Gilbert is a troubled teen ever since her parents died. If her sister, Elena, and twin brother, Jeremy, weren't there, they didn't know what Bella would've turned out. Yep, you heard right. B and J are twins. Read on to see how Bella copes with the supernatural crap. Not only that but what can she do when she likes Damon but he keeps choosing Elena? Crappy summary, I know.
1. PROLOGUE

**PROLOGUE**

_Everybody's got a dark side._

_Do you love me? Can you love mine?_

_Nobody's picture perfect._

_But we're worth it._

_You know that we're worth it._

_Will you love me? Even with my dark side?_

My sister, Elena, once told me that there were three types of bad in the world.

First, the good bad. This type of bad is not really bad. People who possess this kind of bad are only ever bad to save someone else in the expense of their own selves. Also, another use of this kind of bad is to mask their own pain and grief. An example of this is Damon Salvatore.

Second, the hurt bad. This type of bad is not really the fault of the people who possess it. They may be someone good when they first started out, but was only ever turned bad because of other people. As time passed by, this person will slowly change until they need and seek reassurance from the very few people he trusts, until he may need to take matters into his own hands. Just one small thing to break their trust may be hard to get it back. An example of this is Niklaus Mikaelson.

Third, the evil bad. This type of bad is just plain bad. No questioning it. People who have this may be hard to change to good. They do as they please, and enjoy it. No conscience and no remorse. Even though it is near to impossible to change their ways, there is still hope. If there is none, then the people that love him must let him go. An example of this is Ripper Stefan.

My sister, Elena, once told me that there were three types of bad in the world.

And I believe her.

I just wish that I would meet my Damon, Klaus and Ripper Stefan someday.

A healthy dose of all kinds of bad is good for your life.

Or maybe you _need_ to be all kinds of bad.

Who knows?

Maybe life will surprise you.

I just hope life stops surprising me.

I'm tired of all of these supernatural crap going on around me.

And above all, I'm tired of Damon Salvatore choosing my sister over me.

When will I stop being the second choice?

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey guys. So here's a new story that I have dreamt about apparently. Like it? Please review for me to know.**

**About Cursed (my story where Bella is a werewolf), I'm still looking for a plot line to go with it.**

**Somethings you need to know about this:**

**-Bella and Jeremy are identical twins. Brown hair, pale skin, chocolate brown eyes... seems fitting, doesn't it? Jeremy is older than Bella. (I don't know why, but I love stories where Bella is the youngest.)**

**-Bella and Jeremy are linked. They have been ever since they were born. They didn't know why, but they never bothered to sever the connection between them. They are linked emotionally and both can feel each other's pain.**

**-Bella is more troubled than Jeremy. Jeremy is more responsible, only because he is trying to be a role model for his twin. He is not the one who drinks too much and takes drugs, Bella is the one.**


	2. Saving the Rebel

**A/N: In the show, there are only two Gilbert rings. Here, there are three. One is given to Alaric. It is dark blue. The other is Jeremy's. It has the same color as the lapis lazuli stone. The third is Bella's. It is color red.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I noticed I did not put a disclaimer in the prologue. I apologize. I am human and I do have flaws and make mistakes. I do not own Twilight and Vampire Diaries. If it did, Twilight would not have existed on its own and so would have Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE – SAVING THE REBEL**

_l'm waking up, I feel it in my bones,_

_Enough to make my systems blow._

_Welcome to the new age (to the new age)_

_Welcome to the new age (to the new age)_

_Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh!_

_Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh!_

_I'm radioactive, radioactive!_

_l'm radioactive, radioactive!_

* * *

"Alright, you have your choice," Damon said as he pointed at the bottles of alcohol laid in front of him. "Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Brunch in a Bottle," he said as he took a shot glass and downed the drink immediately, followed by another one from a bottle, enjoying the light burn down his throat. "C'mon Ric, I can't drink all this by myself," he said as he noticed Alaric busy with whatever. "I mean, I _can_ but somebody's gettin' naked."

The blonde bartender settled another bottle of alcohol, scotch, smiling as she left.

"Oh man, I can't believe you're making me drink alone," Damon groaned.

"_I_ can't believe you compelled one of the bartenders again," Jeremy said as he passed by Damon, a tray of food in his hands. "Can you stop?"

"No," Damon replied sharply, downing another shot glass.

Jeremy shook his head as he left to go to his section.

"C'mon, Ric," Damon tried again.

"I'm busy," Alaric replied in an annoyed tone.

"Busy what? Grading Klaus' homework?"

Alaric finally looked up from the paper he had been looking at. "This may come as a shock, but I did not come all this way to hang out with you. I'm here to see Bella, who is…" he took a gander at the wall clock, "an hour late for her shift."

"Kids today, where are their values?" Damon said drunkenly.

Alaric, having enough of his attitude, slid the paper he was marking in front of Damon. Damon looked and found _American History 201, Isabella Gilbert_ on the cover, with a very visible red F beside it.

"That's her midterm paper," Alaric said. "Copied it straight off the internet, and she even tried to hide it."

"Looks like our favorite twin's getting grounded."

"Did you say you were waiting for Bella? As in Bella Gilbert?" The blonde bartender asked.

"Yeah," Alaric replied.

"She was fired last week," she said as she took two of Damon's empty bottles.

Damon and Alaric became heavily concerned. If Bella wasn't in the Grill, then where was she?

As Jeremy was passing by, Damon's hand automatically stretched out to grab his collar. Luckily, Jeremy wasn't carrying anything so he didn't drop anything.

"Hey!" Jeremy protested. "What the hell?"

"Where the hell is your sister?" Damon demanded.

"Damon!" Alaric rasped as he nervously glanced at the people who were looking at the scene Damon was causing.

Both Damon and Jeremy ignored him and the rest of the Grill.

"Err… I don't know. Maybe she's drinking a cup of coffee with Bonnie?" He said as he pointed at Elena.

"Not her, dumbo. Your _other_ sister."

"Beats me."

"Then why the hell didn't she tell us she was fired from work?"

"I don't know, she didn't really make a big deal out of it."

"Why didn't _you_ bother telling us?" Alaric asked.

"Because nobody didn't really bother asking," Jeremy replied, loosening the tight grasp Damon had on his shirt collar. When Damon let go, he wordlessly headed back the kitchen.

Damon huffed in frustration as he took the bottle containing scotch and took a sip. Alaric looked back and found Elena staring at the two of them, a cup of coffee in her hand.

_What's wrong?_ She mouthed to her guardian.

Alaric's lips turned into a hard line before mouthing back. _Bella._

* * *

BPOV

I shot another arrow and knocked down another empty can of beer.

"Nice shot," Tyler remarked, bending down to pick up his own beer.

"So what's the point of this again?" I asked him.

"The point," he began as he walked toward the target practice area. "is that I'm pissed at Caroline and Damon left you hanging for your sister. The point is," he placed another can of beer on the log. "to get drunk and shoot stuff."

"You do realize it's going to take something stronger than beer to get both of us drunk, right?"

"Nah, we just need more beer!"

"Wow," I said, rolling my eyes. I settled the nose of the crossbow on the ground and pulled back the string. "If Alaric finds out I took this, he's gonna use it on me, no doubt about that."

"So what's the deal with that?" He asked suddenly, I looked up as he continued. "He's like your… guardian now?"

"Yeah, sort of. He feels responsible for us. You know, ever since Aunt Jenna died." I replied. That statement about _Aunt Jenna's death_ used to sting, but now I feel nothing. Maybe numbed, but still, nothing. Maybe this was how vampires feel when they can't.

"You like him?"

That question took me off guard, but I answered him anyway, "Yeah. Yeah, I like him."

I was about to aim, when I realized Tyler was too close to the target.

"Hey, wanna move out of the way before this _accidentally_ pierces your heart?" I asked jokingly, the scene already playing in my head. I wasn't quite sure though if I should laugh about it or cringe.

He chuckled. "I'm a hybrid, Bella. You can't kill me unless you cut off my head or rip out my heart," he threw his can to the ground, causing the contents to spill. "So go ahead. Take a shot," he placed himself in front of me several feet away. "Unless you don't think you can hit me."

_Is he really challenging me?_ I thought to myself.

I lifted the crossbow and positioned myself as I aimed at his heart. He won't die, right? That's what he said anyway.

I released the trigger and watched as the arrow shot itself through the air. Before I knew it, it was in Tyler's hand. The idiot was smiling his face off. Obviously, he was proud.

I lightly tossed the crossbow to the ground and put my hands in the air in mock surrender. "Alright, Ty. I admit it. Hybrid abilities are bad ass."

Tyler threw the piece of wood to the ground and walked toward the tree nearest to me, grabbing my beer and lifting it up in my direction. "Damn right they are, little Gilbert."

* * *

"Bella, the minute you get this call me," Elena said, sending yet another voice mail to Bella because apparently someone was not picking up. She pressed the 'end' button, lightly tapping her phone on her hand impatiently. "Unbelievable."

"Someone's feisty mad," Damon said, smirking.

"It's not that I'm mad. I'm worried," Elena admitted, her hands across her chest.

" Why? She lost her job at the Grill. She'll survive, Elena. Nothing major," Damon reassured her, though it was more of reassuring himself.

"She's spiraling. Ever since you left her… I'm not going to lie, Damon. What you did was not good."

"I know, I know. I already feel bad as it is," Damon said. He was saying the truth. He didn't mean to hurt Bella. He just kissed her to sort out his feelings for her and Elena. He wanted to know who it was exactly he loved. Elena tolerates him, but Bella calls him on his bullshit. And he had to say, both were a turn on for him.

"But ever since then, she's been moody… not really talking to anyone…"

"Typical teenager."

"Who is now seeing ghosts of everyone she lost and cared about because her twin brother is," Elena pointed out.

Damon downed the scotch he was drinking. "Not everyone. She still has you and Jeremy."

"Hey," Jeremy said as he sat directly across from his sister, happy that he finally earned his break. "Have you heard from Bella yet?" He asked as he stuffed a burger into his mouth.

"No. Look Jer, why didn't you tell us she got fired?"

"Like I told Ric, no one bothered asking. She didn't really care though. She's been feeling sad ever since we lost Mom and Dad, but nowadays, it's... complete depression."

"Oh god... I hope she turns up. She is so getting it."

"I hope so too. I _feel_ drunk..." Jeremy said as he took a sip from his Coke.

"Are you serious? She's drunk?"

"Hey, hey, calm down. Once she comes and we head home, you can become the responsible older sister you are," Jeremy teased.

Elena shook her head in amusement and looked at Damon. She found it strange when she saw him focusing on his bottle of scotch, as if he were trying to make it levitate.

"You okay?" She asked him.

Damon looked up and found Elena's gaze was on him. "What makes you think I'm not okay?"

"Well, you're day drunk. It's not exactly your most attractive look," Elena answered.

"Really?" Damon leaned closer. "Then what _is_ my most attractive look?" He asked, smirking.

Elena grinned. "I'm not saying you have any attractive look. I'm saying this is just my least favorite look."

"Noted. Let me see if I could make any improvements."

"So what's the deal with this?" Jeremy piped in. "You guys dating or something?"

"No, Jer. We're not dating," Elena said, trying to look disgusted.

"Don't mind me," someone said from behind them. They looked behind them and found Klaus leaning on an unoccupied chair.

"Klaus," Elena breathed, causing Jeremy to choke slightly on his burger.

Damon stood up swiftly and stood in front of Elena. "You're going to do this in the Grill? In front of everyone? That's a little beneath you, don't you think?" Damon said, trying to act tough, but instead, he looked nervous.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Klaus said innocently. "I just came down to the local bar to grab a drink."

"What exactly are you doing here, Klaus?" Damon asked flatly.

"My sister seems to be missing," Klaus said in a deadpan tone, matching Damon's. "We need to sort that out."

"Cute? Blonde bombshell? Psycho? Shouldn't be too hard to find."

Klaus inched toward Damon. "Truth is I've grown rather like your little town. Think I'd fancy a home here. You're probably wondering how this will affect you. The answer is not in the slightest. As long as everyone behaves themselves and I get what I want, you get to live your little lives whatever you choose. You have my word."

"What more could you possible want?" Jeremy asked, annoyed. It's bad enough that he has caused enough mayhem in his hometown, now he wants to stay?

"For starters, you can tell me where to find Stefan," Klaus replied, directing it to Elena.

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass."

"You see, that is a shame," Klaus said, taking one of the shot glasses Damon wasn't using anymore and breaking it on Damon's temple, causing Damon to clutch it and groan. "Your brother stole something of mine. I need him found so I can take back what's mine."

"That sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem," Elena said.

Klaus moved to advance towards her, but Damon blocked his way in an effort to protect her.

"Well, this is me broadening the scope, sweetheart."

* * *

AN HOUR LATER

* * *

"Are you ready?" Alaric asked as he was busy chopping vegetables for dinner.

"Vampires, hybrids, werewolves, ghosts, witches, Originals, no problem. My rebellious sister, I'm worried," Elena said as she began setting up the table.

"Proof your still human," Alaric said.

"Is this really necessary?" Jeremy asked as he helped Elena put the utensils on the table.

"Yes. Even though we have a lot of supernatural problems going on, she's still our sister that needs help."

Just as Elena said that, the door opened and in came Bella.

"Just in time," Jeremy said, keeping up the act of all of this.

"We're cooking," Elena added.

"Err... that's cool," Bella said, not really knowing what to respond to that. "Just passing through." She said as she opened the fridge, hunting for more beer.

"Well, I thought why don't we all stay in and have a meal like a... like a typical family." Alaric said.

"Why? We never did..." Bella responded as she grabbed four cans of beer and closed the fridge. They never really had a family meal before. The last one was when Jenna was still alive, and that was months ago.

"Maybe because you were fired and didn't tell anyone," Elena accused.

Bella stopped dead in her tracks and threw her head back a little in realization. "Well, that's not technically true. Jeremy was aware." When her twin was about to say something, she continued. "Look, can we do this later? I made plans with Tyler. He's right outside."

"Wait, Tyler?" Jeremy choked out. "That dick?"

"Tyler Lockwood?" Alaric asked.

"Why did start hanging out with Tyler, Bells?" Elena asked.

"I don't know," Bella answered. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it kinda matters. Remember last time?" Jeremy pointed out.

"And he's sired to Klaus." Elena added. "He's dangerous."

"He can still hear no matter how low your voice is. He's right outside. Besides, you of all people are going to lecture me on who I can or can't hang out with?"

"What's up with the attitude, Bells?" Jeremy asked, concerned.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Whatever, this is lame. I'm going now," and she headed for the door.

Elena made a move to stop her, but Jeremy placed a hand on her shoulder with a look on his face that meant 'let me handle this'. Elena nodded and Jeremy immediately walked towards his twin and in front of her, effectively blocking her way to the front door.

"You are not going anywhere, sis," Jeremy said, smirking a bit, as he _felt_ his sister's annoyance. "Especially with that douche."

Bella widened her eyes in amusement and looked back at Elena.

"No, you're not going, Bella," Elena said.

Bella shook her head. Of course Elena would say that. She looked at Alaric, hoping he'd back her up on this one.

"Sorry, Bells. I'm with them on this one," Alaric said. "Sorry."

Bella looked back at Jeremy, who had his arms across his chest. Fine, two can play at that game.

"Alright, fine. You want me to stay in?" Bella asked. "Let's _all_ stay in. Yo, Ty! Come on in!" She yelled, directing it at the front door, even though it was unnecessary.

"Bella, no!" Jeremy and Elena yelled at the same time, but the door opened and Tyler came in.

Jeremy looked back at Bella in disbelief. Now it was her turn to smirk and have her arms across her chest.

* * *

BPOV

"Thanks," Tyler said as I gave him one of cans of beer I had. Tyler had already settled on one of the chairs in the dining room.

Jeremy and Alaric were glaring at me every time I would look at them. Elena, however, was a little busy watching Tyler, probably waiting for him to do something Klaus-related.

"This is weird," Elena commented. "Klaus has some of his hybrids watching me, now… you're just sitting in our kitchen."

Tyler opened the can and took a sip. "Look, maybe I should go, we can hang out some other time, B."

"No, stay. We're not doing anything. Plus, these guys wanted me to stay in." Bella said as she added one more plate for their guest.

"Unless you have to… you know… go back to your hybrid master and see if he has more orders to give you," Jeremy said. I glared at him for that, and he returned it. These are those times when I hate our link.

"It's not like that, Jeremy." Tyler said.

I took the seat next to Tyler. Alaric took the one at the end, near Tyler. Elena sat directly across Ric, near me. And, of course, Jeremy took the one in front of me, to glare at me better, no doubt.

"So tell us, Tyler. What's the difference between being sired and being compelled?" Ric asked Tyler.

I watched Tyler. He looked like he didn't want to answer. I was about to tell him it was fine, when he did.

"Compulsion. That's just mind control. Like hypnosis. Being sired is… it's like faith. You do something because you believe it's the right thing to do."

"So," Elena started. _Oh boy…_ "You believe that serving Klaus is the right thing?"

"I don't serve him," Tyler replied. "Klaus released me from a curse that was ruining my life. I owe him for that."

"What if he asked you to… jump off a cliff?" Jeremy asked. I lightly kicked him from under the table, until I _felt_ his pain. He smirked when he noticed I felt it when I kicked him again.

"He wouldn't. And even if he did, I'd be fine," Tyler looked at me and grinned. "I've got hybrid abilities."

I beamed back before Elena ruined the awesome moment.

"So what if he asked you to rip your heart out?" Elena challenged, leaning closer.

"Again, he wouldn't," he said, sounding more and more annoyed with these questions.

I was about to say, 'stop' when Elena said, "What if he did?"

"I don't know!" Tyler said, raising his voice. "Then I'd rip out my heart!"

My eyebrows furrowed at this. He would?

"You guys sound like Caroline. Getting all freaked out with something you don't know about."

"You're right, Tyler, I don't understand. Klaus has terrorized every single one of us, and you're just blindly loyal to him."

"You're over-thinking this. I can still make my own decisions," Tyler declared.

Elena remained silent. I looked at Alaric and he was looking at Elena with concern. Jeremy was still glaring at both me and Tyler.

My phone buzzed from my pocket. I stood up without bothering to excuse myself and walked to the living room. I checked my phone and found _Caller Unknown_ on the screen.

I pressed 'accept' and put it to my ear without saying hello.

"There she is," the phone from the other line said. "That thing I told you to do. Why don't you go ahead and get on with it?" The call ended and I walked back to the living room.

"What was that about?" Elena asked.

"It was nothing," I answered as I put my phone on the table.

I glanced at Tyler and found him checking his watch. He took the beer I gave him and downed it quickly. He put the can on the table and said, "I gotta go. Thanks for the food offer but err…"

"Next time," Alaric finished for him.

Tyler nodded and the he looked back at me. "Thanks for the beer, B. Hang out next time?"

I grinned. "Sure."

He bent down and kissed my cheek before heading out the door.

"You are not hanging out with Tyler again," Jeremy told me before getting up, along with Elena and Ric.

I rolled my eyes at their over-protectiveness over me. "Whatever."

* * *

Elena, Alaric and Jeremy went to the kitchen counter and talked how off the conversation they just had with Tyler. They were worried. They knew Bella wasn't going to listen, and that Bella might revert back to her old ways of drinking too much and taking drugs. Oh hell no.

When Jeremy looked behind Elena to look at his twin, he found an empty chair.

"Bella?" He called out. "Where the hell did you go?!"

Elena, Alaric and Jeremy moved closer to where Bella had been sitting. They found a red piece of jewelry in the bowl.

"That's her ring," Ric said.

Elena picked it up and took a look at it. "Where'd you go?"

Jeremy swiped the ring away from Elena and put it in his pocket.

The three moved to walked to the front door. When they opened it and walked outside, they found Bella in the middle of the street, looking straight ahead.

"Bella?" Elena said.

"What the hell is she doing?" Jeremy asked no one in particular.

They heard a speeding car and their heads snapped in the direction of the sound. When they did, they found a black SUV speeding down the road. They knew the car wouldn't stop so they dashed toward Bella.

"Bella move!" Elena yelled.

"Damn it, Bella! Get the hell out of the way!" Jeremy shouted.

"Bella!" Alaric yelled, pushing his legs faster than both Jeremy and Elena. He reached Bella in time and pushed her out of the way. He, however, took the impact for her. He hit the glass of the car and rolled down the road, cuts, wounds and blood covering him.

Elena stopped dead in her tracks, mouth gaping, unsure of what to do.

Jeremy didn't stop. He kept running toward his baby sister. He knew she was hurt somewhere. He could_ feel_ it. He reached her and pulled her to his lap. He frowned when he found a huge gash that sliced at the side of her head, blood was gushing out.

When Elena composed herself, she ran to her guardian immediately. She rolled him over. He was knocked out cold.

The car that almost killed Bella inched forward and stopped beside Elena and an unconscious Alaric. The window rolled down and Elena found the hybrid that she knew Klaus had ordered him to follow her around and almost claim her sister's life.

"Here I go again, bumpin' into people," the hybrid said. "You should really look both sides before your cross a street." And he drove away.

Elena grabbed Alaric's hand in hopes of finding his ring. She did and she held his hand close to him, saying a silent prayer that he would come back to life okay.

Jeremy stroked the cheek of his unconscious twin and carried her to where his other sister and temporarily dead guardian were.

"He's going to be alright," Elena reassured him. "Is she fine?"

"No, she's bleeding," he said, pointing at her bleeding wound on her head.

"Jer," Bella whispered weakly.

"Bella?" he whispered back.

"Oh this hurts like hell," she groaned and opened her eyes slowly.

"Bella, listen to me. Who was that on the phone earlier?" Elena asked as she placed a hand on Bella's cheek.

Bella tried to separate the pain and common sense as she tried to think. Her eyes widened when she remembered who it was.

"It was Klaus," she whispered as a tear escaped her eye.

"You were compelled, Bella," Elena said.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"It's alright, Bells. C'mon," Jeremy said. "Can you stand?" He asked her.

Bella nodded and Jeremy helped her up.

Jeremy moved to Elena. "We have to get him inside. You help Bella, I'll take Ric back inside."

Elena nodded. "Okay," and moved to Bella. "We'll get you all fixed up, okay? We'll get you and Ric to the hospital."

"You can't. Klaus has his hybrids everywhere. We should just stay inside. I'll treat this or you can call Damon or Caroline and Ric'll come back." Bella said.

Elena sighed and nodded. She helped Bella get inside, where Jeremy already moved Alaric to.

* * *

BPOV

"How is he?" Damon asked as soon as his foot was through the door.

_Of course she called Damon,_ I thought to myself.

"He's dead but he had his ring," Elena answered.

"And how are you?" He asked me, standing in front of me.

"I've been better," I replied, holding the cloth closer to my wound.

"Lemme see," he said, and since there was no fighting with Damon, I complied. "Oooh, it's bruised. And it's deep. Ric pushed you too hard huh?" He said, trying to make it a joke, but I could hear the worry behind the tone. I was just left there to wonder if it was genuine sympathy.

"Just shut yer trap and give me your blood."

"Someone's feisty."

"Whatever."

Damon rolled his eyes, but bit his wrist and offered it to me. I hesitated, but if this is the only way of getting rid of the pain, then fine. I put my lips on his wrist and drank only a sip. Almost gagging from the taste, I pushed it his arm away and gulped, grabbing the glass of water beside me, trying to remove the taste of rust and salt on my tongue. I was just glad the pain was subsiding quickly.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Damon asked, smirking.

"When will you stop being cocky?" I asked him.

"Oh well," he looked at his watch. "Probably a quarter to never on Noneday."

"Ha ha, real funny, Salvatore," I said sarcastically.

"Ouch, you're wounding my ego, Gilbert." His eyes trailed down on my wrist. "Why aren't you on vervain? Where's your bracelet?"

I looked down on my wrist, expecting to find it. I was a bit skeptical when I didn't. My fingers trailed on my skin that used to have my vervain bracelet that Stefan gave me almost like a lifetime ago. "I don't know."

"It was Tyler," Jeremy said.

"What?" I said. This was not true.

"Why do you think he was hanging out with you?" Elena asked. "To get you off the vervain."

"Klaus is sending us a message. He wants us to find Stefan who stole four coffins which contains his four dead family members."

"Coffins?" I asked. Of course, there was nothing normal about our conversations the day Elena met the Salvatore brothers.

"Yep. All we need to do is fine four coffins with dead Originals then voila! No one else needs to die." Damon said, sounding amused by all of this.

"Wait, that's your big plan?" Jeremy asked as he stood up. "To steal back four dead Originals so this evil hybrid won't try to kill Bella or anyone else we know?"

"You got a better idea?" Damon pressed.

"Yeah! Let's get the hell out of here! Pack our stuff and go!"

"Jeremy, calm down," I said, standing up, my strength was fully back.

"No, I'm not going to calm down, Bella. Didn't you just see what happened five minutes ago? This happens all the time no matter what we do. We get on your case about school and work and then this happens." He said more seriously. "None of us are going to make it out of this town alive," He bent down and took his jacket. On the way out, he took the crossbow with him.

_Oh god, he's going after Tyler._ I thought.

I was about to follow him out when Damon stopped me.

"Don't. Just let him think."

I pulled my hand back. "Whatever."

"He said he wants his family back," Elena suddenly said.

Damon looked at Elena with realization on his face. "No. No, I know what you're thinking. The answer is no."

"Can we stop talking in code please?" I said, tired of their unspoken connection. I get it okay? You connect. Maybe that's why you chose Elena over me…

"If we give him Rebekah-"

"Yeah, then Klaus undaggers her, first thing she does is kill you."

"I'd rather that happens than he taking _my_ sister in search for his," Elena declared and somewhere in me, I found that respect I used to have for her. "Klaus' coffins…" she looked at Damon. "How many did you say there were?"

* * *

Well, Damon and Elena left to go to some creepy haunted house where a hundred dead witches died. I left behind to keep an eye on Alaric.

I held his hands and whispered, "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Ric."

* * *

AN HOUR LATER

* * *

"Don't do it, Jeremy," Tyler said as he gulped once of his whiskey.

"Why not huh? You stabbed my sister's back, I stab yours," Jeremy said.

"I didn't stab her in the back," Tyler said exasperatedly, throwing the bottle away, shattering into a million pieces and its contents going into the earth.

"Is that why you wanted to hang out with her? To get her off the vervain?"

"Klaus asked me to. I never thought he would try to kill her."

"It's Klaus, Tyler. What'd you think was going to happen?"

"He doesn't care about her. Or you. All he wants is to get his family back."

Jeremy pulled the trigger and an arrow flew, almost digging into Tyler's chest. He caught it in his hand before a bloody mess could happen.

"What the hell!" Tyler yelled, breaking the arrow into two.

"Whenever Klaus wants something, someone ends up dead. You remember that before you blindly do whatever he says," Jeremy said. "And don't you even think about going back to _hang_ with my sister." He turned around and started to walk away when Tyler's voice stopped him.

"Jer, you should get home, Bella too and stay inside. Klaus is not gonna stop until he gets all of his coffins back. He's not done with her."

* * *

BPOV

Alaric gasped and then coughed, indicating he has come back to life.

"Oh my god, Ric? Are you okay?" I asked.

_Stupid, he just died and come back to life. Of course he's not fine._

"Sorry that was a stupid question." I said.

"Don't worry. I'm used to stupid." He managed to say, trying to get up.

I pushed him back down. "Hell, no. You are not getting up. You need to rest."

"Since when did you become _my_ babysitter?"

"Since you pushed me off the road. Thanks, by the way."

"Anytime. When you need some saving, expect it to be _me_."

I lightly chuckled at that. But I knew what he was saying. Damon used to be the one who was always saving me, now that he was gone… I don't wanna think about it. The alternative's just too damn depressing.

"Bella? Is Ric okay?" Elena asked as she entered the house.

"Fine!" Ric called out.

"Ric!" Elena said happily. "When did you… return to the living?"

"Just a couple of minutes ago," Ric answered weakly. "I guess I'm a hero now for saving Bella. Where's Jeremy?"

"Hating me, hating life, hating Tyler, hating Klaus, hating almost everything and it's not even dinner yet. You okay?"

Before he could respond, Ric allowed his head to move to the edge of the couch and he suddenly coughed up blood.

"Ric!" Both Elena and I exclaimed at the same time. "Oh my god," Elena added.

"Something's not right. The ring…" He coughed up more blood and rolled back to the couch, spewing out more blood.

-A FEW MINUTES LATER-

I opened the door and luckily, I found two paramedics.

"What happened?" One of them asked.

"H-He got hit by a car," I stammered as they went in. "And he's coughing up blood."

Both the paramedics began tending to him, talking to each other alertly. I couldn't really hear what they were saying. All I picked up was 'internal bleeding'.

_Oh god._

"We gotta get him outta here," one of them said.

"Let's move," the other agreed.

"Let's not," someone said behind me. I turned around and found a man I had never seen before.

"Bella get back. That's one of Klaus' minions," Elena said and I automatically complied, even though I knew he couldn't come in.

"Why don't you two meet us in the hospital?" He said.

The paramedics nodded and picked up their things. I tried to stop them.

"No please, you have to help him!" I pleaded. "Please!"

My cries fell on deaf ears as they just continued walked to their vehicle.

"What are you doing this?" Elena asked as tears filled her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" I shrieked at him.

"You can still save his life, ladies," he lifted his hand, exposing his wrist. "Here, take my blood. Tsk, I can't get it." He said, looking at Elena. "Invite me in, Elena."

I saw the ambulance drive away.

_Shit!_

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked.

"Klaus asked for his family. You didn't listen. So how about that invitation?"

"No way," Elena answered.

"Fine," he looked at me. "Bella, you can still save him. You just have to invite me in. This _is _your fault."

"No, don't listen to him, Bella," Elena said from behind me.

"Your fault why he's in this condition. Don't you want to make it up to him? All you have to do is invite me in."

Before the words could leave my mouth, the hybrid bent his head back in pain, groaned and then fell to the ground, out cold.

I was wondering what had happened when I noticed Jeremy several feet away with the crossbow.

"Jeremy," Elena said as she stood behind me. "Is he dead?"

"I don't know," Jeremy answered.

Suddenly, Tyler's words rang in my ears.

_I'm a hybrid, Bella. You can't kill me unless you cut off my head or rip out my heart._

"He's not dead yet," I said as I stepped back and headed for the kitchen.

"What do you mean?" Jeremy asked, but I ignored him.

I walked in the kitchen, looking for something in particular. When I found the knife Ric was using earlier, I knew I found what I was looking for. I grabbed it and walked back to the front door.

"What are you…" Elena asked, but she trailed off as she realized what I was going to do.

I knelt down and raised the knife.

"Wait!" Jeremy yelled, but it was too late. My hand was already flying down, ripping through flesh and blood as it spattered on my face, and effectively killing him. Elena's shriek was still ringing in my ears.

I huffed as I said. "Now he's dead." I stood up quickly. "Now we bring Ric to the hospital."

* * *

A COUPLE HOURS LATER

* * *

Elena was in the Salvatore Boarding house. Luckily, both Damon and Stefan were not around. They were probably in the site where a hundred dead witches were residing. But that was the least of her problems. She had a meeting with the Original Hybrid and no one was around to save her. And there was a knock on the door.

Elena moved towards the door, opened it and who else was there but Klaus.

"Thank you for coming," she said.

Klaus didn't say anything and just let himself in. "I trust you have news of Stefan."

"I couldn't find him," she lied smoothly. "But I have something else."

Elena motioned Klaus to follow her and she led him to the cellar. She opened the door and both of them went in, where a lifeless, daggered Rebekah was lying.

"My poor sister," Klaus said sympathetically. "I just turned my back on her for a moment and now this."

"You have Rebekah," Elena said. "A deal is a deal."

"The life of my sister in exchange for yours. Yeah, I'd say that's a bargain," Klaus said. "Consider her spared."

"You should know, I was the one who daggered her. When she wakes, she'll come after me."

"I can control Rebekah. Besides, I still need your help in finding Stefan."

"I told you, I don't know where he is."

Klaus placed his hand on the dagger and pulled it from Rebekah's back.

"You're lying. Fortunately, you have no shortage of loved ones. If I don't get my family, the question you should be asked yourself is who's gonna die next. Jeremy, Bonnie, Caroline," he looked up at Elena. "Damon." He stood up to meet her eyes. "It's only a matter of time before Stefan gives me what I want."

"He doesn't care about me anymore," Elena said. "You made sure of that. You turned him into a monster. Now he's your problem. And just so you know, I'm not the only one Rebekah wants dead. She knows what you did to your mother. She knows that you killed her." She gave him a smug look before leaving the cellar. "You can let yourself out." She said as she walked upstairs, wanting to just go home to her siblings after such a draining day.

Meanwhile, as Klaus was left in the cellar. He was speechless. He didn't want to face Rebekah now what she knows the truth. A tear slipped his eye as he whispered, "I'm sorry, sister," and pierced her heart with the dagger.

* * *

BPOV

"So the ring brought you back to life but it didn't heal you… does that mean it's broken?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know. That's never really happened before," Ric admitted.

That reminds me.

"Speaking of rings, where mine?" I asked, looking at them.

Jeremy smirked as he put one hand in his pocket and fished out my red Gilbert ring.

"Thanks," I said as I moved to grab it when he lifted it so I couldn't reach it. "Hey!"

"Promise me you won't hang out with Tyler?" He said.

"Are kidding me?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Promise me," he urged.

"I can't promise you that," I said quietly.

"Then you don't get your ring back."

"Fine, if I die, it's on your hands," I said as I moved to the car.

* * *

"I have to tell you something," Elena said to Damon. "I err… I made a deal with Klaus. I gave him Rebekah."

"No, no, no. You did not do that. At any moment, she can come and kill you," Damon said.

"No she won't. Klaus will keep her in line."

"What, you suddenly trust Klaus?"

"No, I don't trust Klaus, but I also don't trust Stefan. You think he's just gonna give up the coffins?"

"My brother's… sort of running his own show right now," Damon said.

"Yeah, and my sister just chopped off someone's head," Elena said. "It's not right… it's not fair. She's sixteen years old. She shouldn't have to live like this." She moved to the faucet again and turned on the tap to wash off the blood from her hands and cloth which she used to clean the blood off the porch.

"Elena," Damon said in a concerned tone.

"There has to be another way."

"Elena."

"We have to fix it."

"We will," he said. "Hey, gimme that," he reached over and turned the tap off. "Hey," he turned her around and placed his hands on either side of her face. "We will."

"Yeah, we will," Jeremy said from behind them. "She should leave."

* * *

BPOV

There was a knock on my door and I found Elena, Alaric and Jeremy outside my door.

What now?

"Hey," Elena said. "Can we talk?"

I sighed as I moved to my bed and sat on the side. "What did I do now? If it's about that hybrid, well I'm-"

"No, it's not that. I've been thinking about what Jeremy said. About picking out stuff up and go…"

"Elena, listen. I'm not backing him up on this-"

"But he's right. You need to get a normal life. You don't need to give it up because of me."

Damon suddenly appeared and entered my room.

"What's going on?" I asked them.

"Relax, Isabella. Just another one of our talks," Damon said as he moved toward me. He took one of my chairs and sat in front of me.

"Here's the thing, Isabella…"

* * *

"You're gonna get out of town for a while. A long while," Damon began as he compelled her. "You're gonna stay with some nice family friends in Forks. You're gonna be in a new school, and have some new friends, meet some new guys… living guys. You're gonna drink a few beers, join a literature class, do whatever you want."

"Tell her to leave Mystic Falls behind… and never think twice about it," Alaric said.

Damon glanced at both Elena and Jeremy and both of them nodded wordlessly.

"You're gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it. Have a better life, Cara," he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Enjoy it."

* * *

"I feel like a horrible person," Elena said.

"You just saved her life, Elena; a necessary sacrifice. You saved the rebel. Take it from me; strange is bad, dead is worse." Damon said, trying to comfort her, when he himself feels bad that Bella was going to move away.

"I just keep remembering the last time I asked you to compel a sibling."

"Yeah so she'll find out. She'll get over it, I swear." He stepped in front of her. "She almost died today. She's so lucky to have you and Jeremy as her sister and brother."

"Thank you," Elena said sincerely.

"No problem," Damon responded, smirking, but it wasn't his arrogant smirk.

"Not just for this, Damon, for everything. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."

Damon was unable to look for a response. Instead he said, "You need to hear this. Stefan didn't screw us over. He _did_ screw us over, but for a good reason."

"What?" Elena asked, intrigued.

"He saved Klaus to save me. He stole the coffins to get even."

"No… wait… why would he do that?" Elena wondered. "What does that mean?"

"What it means? It means I'm an idiot. I thought for one second I wouldn't have to feel guilty anymore."

"Wait what are you talking about? Guilty for what?"

Damon faced her, making sure she can see his face. "For wanting what I want."

"Damon…" Elena said, understanding what he meant.

"I know, I know. My brother's girl," he said, hurt edging his voice.

"Not only that… Bella."

"I know. Good night, Elena." He walked down the stairs of the porch when he realized something.

He wasn't noble.

"No. You know what? If I'm going to feel guilty about something, I'm going to feel guilty about this."

And he advanced towards her and crashed his lips on hers, capturing them perfectly. His right hand moved to the back of her head in his hair, while the other was on her waist, pulling her closer to him. Both her hands were tangled in his crow black hair.

From afar on a tree, Stefan was watching the both of them. He couldn't blame them. This was his fault. He let go of Elena while she was still holding on. He told her to move on and that was exactly what she was doing. He sighed as he landed and blurred back to the witches' house.

Bella was walking down the stairs in search for Elena when she looked at the widely open door and found her sister making out with the man she loved. She let out a feeble yelp and ran back upstairs. She bolted her door shut and slid down as she felt her heart break and crash.

Damon had heard her. In fact he saw her. Damon was still unsure of his feelings for both of them so he kissed Elena to sort them out.

Now, he was still confused and unsure…

* * *

**A/N: **

**Hey! First chapter of Necessary Sacrifice.**

**How was it?**

**Please review! I'm really insecure about this chapter...**

**Oh yeah, I think Torn Heartstrings will be up on Monday or Tuesday. Hush, Little Mikaelson will be up on Thursday or Friday. **

**Sayonara!**


	3. See You Soon

**A/N: Wow, I am absolutely in shock. 27 reviews already? Thanks so much! Yep, I'm as giddy as a five year old as if I were given candy.**

**Anyway, more facts about this story.**

**Jeremy and Bonnie are not having relationship problems. They are both going on strong. Regarding the ghosts episodes, Jeremy did not let Anna in. Every time she would appear, it would only be to warn him about Vicky, other than that, nothing else. He moved on.**

**Also, I'm only concentrating on the Gilbert siblings. This just follows the same timeline with the Vampire Diaries starting from Season 3 Episode 10, but with Bella in it and a few twists and turns. So I won't go to deep into the Stefan-won't-give-up-the-coffins plot since everyone knows that. I'll mostly follow what Bella goes through while she is away from Mystic Falls.**

**I'm so sorry that the way I wrote the previous chapter made you guys dislike Damon Elena. But look at it this way: Elena was abandoned by Stefan so that he can protect Elena. But now that Stefan has his feelings off, he doesn't want to be with Elena, at least he doesn't want her in the way to make Klaus pay. Damon, however, is confused about his confused for both Elena and Bella... kinda like how Bella was confused about both her feelings for Edward and Jacob, even though she was sure she loved Edward more. Damon, however, doesn't know who he loves _more._**

**Speaking of Edward, regarding the questions I received, yes, we will see Edward soon. But heads up, he will appear a bit OOC. And the questions regarding the other Cullens, I think I may or may not bring them into this story, I'm not even sure if I should bring Katherine. **

**So, as the story progresses, I will just decide at the last minute who Bella will be with: it's either Damon/Bella or Bella/Edward. Don't suggest Damon/Bella right away, though. I want you guys to really ****_look _****at Edward before you guys cast your votes, kay? Oh my gosh... I'm revealing too much and I'm rambling.**

**Haha! Sorry, I think I'm scatter-brained right now. Sorry for the insanely long note...**

**That's all…**

**NOW ON WITH THE TALE!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO – SEE YOU SOON**

_Just because everything's changing,_

_Doesn't mean it's never been this way before._

_All you can do is try to know who your friends are,_

_As you head off to the war._

_Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light._

_You'll come back,_

_When it's over._

_No need to say goodbye._

* * *

Elena called Alaric earlier to ask if she could work out with him in his loft. She didn't really want to stay in her house for a while, knowing her sister will leave it later in the evening. She didn't want to think for a while, she wanted to let go. Knowing it would help her, Alaric allowed her. Not later than forty five minutes, Elena was already in Alaric's loft, kicking and punching her frustrations out i.e. Stefan being heartless and Bella leaving.

"So," Alaric began. "What's gotten you all worked up?"

"I didn't really sleep last night," Elena admitted, hitting Alaric's punching bag.

"Yeah, me neither. I think it had something to do with _dying_," Alaric said, stressing the last word and adding a humorless chuckle.

"You okay?" Elena asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. I think the ring's probably running low on batteries."

"Yeah, another reason why Bella has to get out of town. Those rings have a shelf life. She's not protected, and neither are you."

Elena, sort of tired of punching, finally pulled her leg back and kicked the punching bag, catching Alaric off guard as he stumbled backwards that if he wasn't holding the suspended bad, he would have crashed on the floor.

"Nice," Alaric remarked. "You're getting stronger."

"Just dealing with frustration," Elena said as she took off her punching gloves. "Wish we had trained Bella before…"

"Yeah, shame, huh?" Alaric said.

"I need coffee," Elena breathed, not liking the _awkward _silence that keeps passing them. The only reason why there was any awkward silence was because she still hasn't wrapped her head around the fact that last night, Damon kissed her… or she kissed him… or they kissed each other...

Whatever!

She just wanted to forget.

"I guess Damon's compulsion worked," Alaric said as he started a new topic. "Bella has been packing her stuff since daybreak, going on and on about her new school in Forks."

Not knowing what to say, Elena tried a different direction. "Have you… err… talked to Damon today?" She asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"No," he answered flatly, a bit suspicious. "Why?"

"No reason," she shook her head, taking a sip from her coffee, completely ignoring the scalding sensation.

_Just think about Bella. That'll push that kiss away, _was what kept running though Elena's mind.

* * *

Bonnie began to stir in bed as consciousness was seeping back to her. She groaned.

_Ugh. School._

She didn't want to go. She hated Mondays. Why did Mondays ever exist in the first place?

"You finally awake?" He asked her as he nuzzled closer to her, kissing her cheek.

"Maybe you're just dreaming," Bonnie replied as she threw a pillow on her head.

"Then this must be a really nice dream," Jeremy said, pulling off the pillow. "C'mon, up you go. It's Monday, first day of the week."

"I think I'm well-aware."

"Then you should also be aware that it's Caroline's birthday."

"I'm well-aware with that, too."

"Then get up, lazy witch."

Bonnie's eyes snapped open and mock glared at him.

"You know, I would have been offended if I weren't one," she said, trying her best to push her droopy eyes.

"Well you are, so get up," Jeremy encouraged. "By the way, good morning."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Morning to you too, Mr. Gilbert."

"Can you please break off the love fest? Seriously, you're going to be late for school, and I'm riding with you," Bella yelled from the bathroom. "Unless I'm driving," she tried.

"Nuh-uh, Bells. I'm driving!" Jeremy protested.

"Fine! Then I call shotgun!" Bella improvised, and when she calls shotgun, no one can really complain.

Jeremy sighed and shook his head.

"Wow. Sometimes, it's just funny watching or listening to the two of you argue," Bonnie commented.

"I'm glad you find it amusing," Jeremy said, flashing a dimpled grin.

"Speaking of twins… why aren't you going with her?" Bonnie asked. Not that she wanted him to leave. Oh god no. But these two… these two were inseparable. And for one to leave seemed odd.

"Why? Want me to leave to?" Jeremy teased.

"Don't be ridiculous," Bonnie said. "It's just that… letting Bella go must be hard."

"Yeah it is," Jeremy confessed. "But it's better this way. She could have a better life there."

"But-"

"Besides, if I did go with her, it would be too dangerous. Klaus would have both of us on his hit list. And to leave Elena here to deal with this supernatural crap going on? I… can't leave her."

"I know."

"I feel like I'm choosing between my sisters," Jeremy whispered, finally releasing the thought that had been bugging him.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bonnie said softly as she pulled Jeremy close to her, hugging him. "You're not. Like you said, it's too dangerous for both of you to go and you can't leave Elena. It's safer for Bella…"

"I know, but I can't help but feel this way."

"Just remember Jeremy, Bella can get a shot at a normal life."

From inside the bathroom, Bella had heard everything they were saying. A watery smile crept up her lips and she knew that she couldn't have wished for a better brother…

Or a better girlfriend for him, as a matter of fact.

* * *

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER

* * *

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Bonnie said as she walked closer and closer to Elena. "I got held up."

"It's okay," Elena said, smiling sincerely.

"Thanks again for letting me crash in your place."

"Tell that to Jeremy," Elena laughed.

"Already did. I figured I had to tell the head of the Gilbert household."

Elena shook her head in amusement. She looked back at her work and pondered for a moment.

"Can you pass me the balloons please," She said, getting more tape to add a little more streamers.

"Sure," Bonnie replied, bending down to retrieve the rubber bags of air before handing them over to Elena.

"Thanks. What… err… what got you running late?"

"Bella took too much time in the shower. You? I didn't see you for breakfast this morning…"

"Yeah, I went to Ric's place, you know. Working out with him."

Bonnie beamed and lifted up the very decorated purple cardboard with the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROLINE! on it.

"Hey!" Bella gasped as she bolted down the hallway and skidded to a stop right beside her elder sister, almost falling down in the process. Elena, having quick reflexes, caught Bella's elbow before her face could meet the floor. "Thanks for the save."

"Anytime," Elena said. "You know, you really have to be more careful. You do know you have a past record of being the clumsy, right?"

"I'm trying to get past that," Bella said, sticking her tongue out. "Anyway, I got that thing you told me to bring."

Elena's face displayed confusion before she remembered what Bella was talking about as relief flooded through her. "Give it here."

"Sure. Give me a sec," Bella said as she reached for her back pack and pulled out a small pink box containing a red velvet cupcake, Caroline's favorite, with a card that all of Caroline's circle of friends have signed. She immediately handed it over to Elena.

"Thank you," Elena said as she received it. She faced Caroline's elegantly decorated locker and punched in Caroline's code. The lock clicked and she pulled the locker open, putting inside both the box and the card. She closed it and locked it again.

Bonnie handed over to Elena the cardboard sign to put up, which she immediately did.

"Well, that's that," Bella said, beaming.

"Sure is," Elena responded before looking at Bella. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I am. Just have to say goodbye to a few students and teachers, grab my stuff in the locker and get my school transcripts. Don't worry, I've already packed so I have time to stick around for Caroline's birthday. See ya, big sis," Bella said, leaving after planting a kiss on Elena's cheek and hugging Bonnie.

"Can't believe she's actually leaving," Bonnie whispered as both of them watched their one of their best friends walk down the hallway.

"Me neither." Elena replied, fighting back the tears that were threatening to pool down.

* * *

Caroline was sitting in her car, not really in her usually perky self. She was really trying, especially after that sweet gesture her Mom did for her this morning with that red velvet cupcake… she _was _trying to be happy. Or at least to suck it up and _pretend _to be. But she just _can't. _Her life was just going crazy nowadays, since her life pretty much revolved around Tyler. And the face that today was her birthday didn't help.

She just sat there, breathing, not really thinking. She glanced around until her eyes locked with the brown ones that belonged to her sired hybrid boyfriend. She sighed and got out of the car. He had been waiting there for a reason. She didn't really want to talk, but she didn't want to be mean either.

"I can't talk to you," she murmured, knowing he can hear her.

"I know," Tyler said. "I know you're upset and-"

"Upset?" She intervened. "You almost got Bella killed. Do you even remember who Bella is? She is _our _best friend." She emphasized the word _our_. "I don't know if that may mean much to you, but it does to me. And before you ask me to understand, can you at least tell me what you plan to do with your sire bond to Klaus?"

"There's nothing I can do about it, Caroline. That's the point!" He rasped. "And yes, Bella means much to me too. Look, all I wanted to say was… I know why you can't be with me. Even though I try to put you first, no matter how hard I try… I just can't. I'll never be able to, and for that, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Caroline. I just wanted you to know that."

Caroline, whose eyes were already filled with tears, knew what this meant. She and Tyler were over. Even though she didn't want them to be.

"I'm sorry too," Caroline whispered.

Tyler took one of Caroline's hands and placed something cold and metallic in it. She looked down and found a silver charm bracelet in her hand.

"Just a goodbye present… Happy birthday," he leaned closer to her and kissed her cheek. "Just know that I will always love you, Caroline Forbes. Always," he said before turning around walking away from her, walking out from her life.

* * *

BPOV

I had already said goodbye to a bunch of my friends and teachers. I was about to go to the office to retrieve my school transcripts when I saw Tyler walking in my direction.

Instead of averting my gaze and pretending he wasn't there, I walked right up to him.

"Hey there, hybrid," I greeted, trying to sound like yesterday never happened. He was still one of my guys no matter what.

"Oh hey there, Isabella," he greeted back, but not in his usual boyish tone. He sounded like he was distracted.

"Isabella? Since when did you start calling me Isabella?" I asked, laughing. When he didn't respond back, my eyebrows pulled together in frustration. "Why the long face, wolf?"

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he blurted out. "I didn't mean for yesterday to happen."

"Hey, chillax, Ty. I'm cool with yesterday. I mean, you didn't mean it... sorta... right? Besides, the past is past, this is me moving on."

"Moving on? Yeah, you sure are moving on... all the way to Forks, Washington, huh?"

"Yeah. It's just that... I think this is a good thing. Well, at least all this Klaus thing blows over. I think I can have a better life there."

"Wow, that was poetic," he said, already going back to his old self, but I could see his guard still up. "Sorry... I'm just sorry you have to go. That's all," he finished before pushing past me and continuing his way to class, most likely.

_I'm going to miss you, buddy,_ was my last thought as I watched him take a left turn, taking note that one of my best friends didn't look back.

* * *

It was twelve.

It was already freaking twelve in the afternoon!

Caroline huffed as she lifted her bag and walked out of the classroom, ignoring the loud ringing of the bell and the birthday greetings she received from random students. She was the queen bee around here (and at least she wasn't a bitch about it), but she really didn't want to celebrate her drag of a birthday. She didn't bother going to her locker, she just she walked straight to the parking lot, jamming her key to her Ford Fiesta to unlock it. As she climbed it, she sighed as she revved her engine, thinking of the horrible events that have taken place in the past days... Klaus coming back to Mystic Falls, Elena almost dying because apparently her blood was needed to make Klaus' hybrids, Tyler becoming one and being sired to him, Stefan loosing his humanity, Bella almost getting herself killed because her boyfriend...

_Ex-boyfriend_, she reminded herself as she pulled up in her driveway. Before getting out, she took a gander at the charm bracelet Tyler gave her that she now wore proudly around her wrist. It was proof... proof that Tyler _will_ love her forever, just as she will always love him.

She walked inside of the house and practically through her bag down. What she didn't anticipate was the uninvited people she had in her home.

"SURPRISE!" Her friends yelled as they jumped in front of her. Her friends being Elena, Matt, Bonnie, Bella and Jeremy; all wearing party hats, Bella and Bonnie holding up a banner that said 'Happy birthday!', Matt with bottles of tequila (her favotrite) at hand, Jeremy holding up balloons and Elena was holding a purple birthday tiara.

"Happy birthday," Matt, Jeremy and Bella said in unison.

The guys were waiting for her to jump up and down in happiness or excite, or maybe burst into tears in joy. But no. Caroline just stood there, her posture was rigid as she asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, you blew off school," Bella clarified.

"And you missed our work of birthday art, so err..." Elena and Caroline walked closer to each other as Elena put the tiara on her head. "Change into warmer clothes, we're going to the falls."

"Smores," Bonnie said.

"Campfire," Jeremy added.

"Cake!" Bella chimed in.

"Can't forget the tequila," Matt said, lifting up the bottles.

They felt kind of relieved when Caroline cracked a smile. "Thanks, guys. Really erm... I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year."

"What?!" Bella asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Care, but you've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year!" Bonnie said.

"Yeah and now, it's just a reminder that technically, I'm _dead_," her voice hardening at the last word. Everyone's face twisted into realization. "Look, I didn't even like seventeen. And the only point of seventeen is to get to eighteen, it's a filler year... I'm _stuck_ in a filler year."

"You're not stuck, Caroline," Elena said, trying to comfort her.

"Yeah, I am," Caroline countered. "But it's okay. You know, it's all good. I will be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it."

"Okay, Care. We understand," Elena said.

"Yeah, sorry," Bonnie said.

Bella threw the banner down in annoyance. "Ugh! Screw this!"

"Bella!" Elena rasped at her sister. Why was she being rude now?

"No, you know what? _You_," she pointed at Caroline. "You said you wanted to wallow in it, then fine. We'll accept it, but what _I_ won't accept is this I'm-sad-that-today's-my-birthday-and-I-will-comple tely-ignore-the-hard-work-my-friends-did kind of thinking. So go upstairs and change into warmer clothes."

"I don't want to go to the Falls, Bells," Caroline complained lightly.

"Whoever said we were going to the falls?" She asked slyly, batting a wink at the blonde. "C'mon, I have another idea."

* * *

"I thought Stefan saved your life?" Alaric asked as he was walking with Damon to the Mystic Falls Wickery Bridge Restoration Fundraiser after Damon told him that Stefan was provoking Klaus again by killing one of his hybrids.

"He did," Damon said simply.

"And now he's willing to risk it just to see how far he can push Klaus?"

"Seems so."

"Well, is his humanity on or off?"

" I'm thinking there's another option at play, a dimmer switch, which is a huge problem."

"Why?" Alaric asked, stopping.

Damon turned around to face him. "Because now, I can't predict how far he's really willing to go before anyone else gets killed."

"Suddenly you care who lives or dies?"

"It's a small list," Damon defended weakly.

"Or maybe it's just Elena's friends and family."

"Or maybe I just don't want her to get killed by Lockwood!" Damon snarled, regretting it immediately as the words left his mouth.

"Wait, _her_? So, Bella?" Alaric scoffed. "So now you care about Bella? Do you even remember what you did to her before?"

"Yes, yes! Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Maybe because," Alaric paused to punch Damon squarely on his jaw. "some people are just trying to protect her."

"Been holding that punch in a long time?" Damon asked as he rubbed his jaw. Receiving a blow was something he _didn't_ want again.

"Probably," Alaric said before he walked in the Mystic Falls Founders' Hall, where the council meeting, which didn't really look like a council meeting but instead made like a restoration program, was being held.

* * *

Elena, Bonnie and Caroline was practically being dragged by the petite sixteen year old Bella all the way to the cemetery, with Jeremy and Matt trailing them.

"Why are we even here, Bella?" Elena asked as Bella opened the double doors that led to a crypt with one grave in it that contained Caroline's grandfather.

"This is creepy," Jeremy remarked. "Even for us creeps."

"No," Bella said. "Caroline was right. Technically, she's dead. Sorry. But you don't need a birthday. You need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life so you can move on with your new one." She motioned Elena to move come with the box of cake. Elena had to admit, it _was_ a good idea.

Caroline beamed a little and looked at Matt, who returned the smile. "Okay," She said, taking off the tiara and laying it down on one of the statues. "Here lies Caroline Forbes."

"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion," Elena said as she was putting candles on the cake.

"Friend, daughter, overachiever," Bonnie said.

"Resident queen bee, head of... every club in Mystic High," Matt said.

"Mean girl," Jeremy said, causing the smile of Caroline to get wiped off her face. "Sometimes, no offense."

"Ha ha, none taken." Caroline said, the smile blossoming on her face again.

"She was seventeen," Bella interrupted. "And she had a really good life. So rest in peace so she can move forward." Bella took the cake for Elena and walked in front of Caroline. "It's what you really need... it's what we really need."

"Amen," Elena said. "Or... cheers. Or whatever!" Everyone chuckled, Matt and Jeremy clinking the bottles together before drinking.

"Hey," Bella told her twin. "Not too much, we both feel each other."

"I know. I'm the one who's supposed to say that." Jeremy said.

"Whatever," Bella snorted. "Err... Bonnie?" She said, looking pointedly at the cake.

"Oh right," Bonnie said before closing her eyes to concentrate on lighting the candles. Jeremy grinned proudly at his girlfriend when the candles were lit.

"Nice," Elena commented.

"Okay now make a wish," Bella urged.

Caroline smiled at her before glancing at everyone. She looked at the candles and focused as she made her wish.

_Take care for me, Bella._

* * *

"That's the bridge where Elena, Jeremy and Bella's parents died in the car accident," Damon said as he walked behind Alaric, who had been scrutinizing the scale model of the Wickery Bridge.

"There's something up with her. Elena. Something more than usual. You know what it is?" Alaric asked as he took note of the tense conversation that took place between him and Alaric.

"Well, I'm sure it starts with a _Stef_ and ends with an _an_. I'm gonna get a drink, write a _check_ and then we're out?"

Alaric nodded and Damon leaves immediately. Alaric returned his attention back to the scale model before a voice behind him startled him a bit.

"Alaric Saltzman, miracle patient."

He turned around as he found the voice oddly familiar. When he finally saw her, he recognized her as Dr. Meredith Fell. "Dr. Fell," he greeted politely.

"I'm glad to see you're still alive. A part of me thought you would have dropped dead in your sleep."

"Yeah well I guess I have nine lives," he joked, briefly glancing at his ring, chuckling along with Meredith.

"Not a bad thing to have in a town with a vampire problem," she whispered as she leaned closer to him, causing him to stiffen.

"Sorry?" he drawled. "Are you on the Founders' Council?"

"I'm a Fell, I come from a long line of founders. May they rest in peace." She looked down at the model of the bridge. "I hate that bridge. My senior prom date dumped me on this bridge."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, a little amused by how quickly their conversation turned _normal_. "Did you throw him over?"

"No, but I should have, I've been holding a grudge ever since." She looked around. "Where did your friend go? I'm supposed to hit him up for some money for the fundraiser."

"You should. Guy's loaded."

"He's in good company. Some British guy just pledged to match every dollar we raised."

Alaric's smile dropped. "What do you mean a British guy?"

* * *

Bella has been passing out pieces of cake to everyone. Everyone already had a couple of sips from the tequila, which would explain why they were a bit unstable.

When Matt tried to take a swipe at the tequila, Elena snatched it before he did and drinks. "Ah ah. I need it more than you do, trust me." Elena looked behind Bella and found Caroline had her phone in her hands, looking intently at the screen. "Caroline, what are you doing?"

Caroline immediately instinctively covered her phone and lowered her hands as she looked up at her friends. "What? Huh? Nothing."

Bella giggled drunkenly. "Okay, you're a bad sober liar. You're an even worse drunk liar."

"I might have texted Tyler," she admitted.

"Caroline..." Elena said disapprovingly.

"What? I'm delicate."

"Give her a break, Lena," Jeremy said as he pulled Bonnie closer to him.

"Sure, sure," Elena said, also drunk.

"Really? I can't believe the fun police's here," Bella said as she was laying down, her head rested on Elena's legs.

"Hey, who said I'm not fun? I'm fun, ask Bonnie," Jeremy argued as he caught Bonnie lifting her finger and flicking it back and forth, indicating a no. "Hey!"

"What? You _can_ be too prude sometimes," Bonnie said, causing Elena, Bella, Matt and Caroline to laugh a little.

"Ouch, my ego has been wounded," Jeremy said as he put his hand on his chest, faking hurt. "My own girlfriend calling me a prude."

Bella dug her hand in the dirt and took a little of it before throwing it in Jeremy direction. "Quit that."

"No, you quit that!" He said before throwing back dirt.

The two did this for some time before Elena finally intervened. "How about both of you quit it?"

Both of them looked up and grinned a little. "Sorry, big sis," both of them said in perfect synchronization.

Elena shook her head. "You see what I have to deal with everyday?" She asked no one in particular, drinking more from the bottle of alcohol.

"Oh... hi..." Someone said from behind them. They all looked at found Tyler.

"Tyler! Hi!" Bella said happily as she settled back down on Elena's legs, not wanting to stand up to hug Tyler or something, she knew she would fall. Another thing she knew was Jeremy's anger rising up at the sight of the hybrid who nearly had her killed. She didn't need the connection to know he was fuming. And she didn't like the anger that was licking around her.

"Hey, Bells," he greeted back before acknowledging everyone. "Sorry, didn't mean to crash the party."

"Then don't," Matt said, a little annoyed. He too was in disbelief that it was Tyler's fault that Bella almost died yesterday.

"No," Caroline said, hopping up to meet Tyler. "It's okay," she told them before she faced him fully. "Hey."

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He said immediately. "It's kind of important."

She nodded and Tyler smiled a little. He left with Caroline following behind him.

Jeremy pointed at the empty doorway where Tyler was. "Now that's the fun police!" He said, causing everyone to laugh out to ease the tension in the crypt.

* * *

"I take it all back," Tyler said as he and Caroline stopped somewhere a little far from the grave yard. "Everything I said this morning. Klaus can't control me. Not when it comes to you. I won't let him."

"Tyler, it's okay. Maybe we weren't just meant to be together. Maybe we just need to accept that and and move on.

"I'm not moving on from anything. I meant one thing from this morning though," he stepped closer to her. "I love you."

"Ty-" she tried but Tyler's lips crashed to hers. One hand caught the nape of her neck and the other entangled in her hair to bring her closer as he kissed her hungrily. Caroline reciprocated the feeling and movements as he kissed alongside her jaw and down her neck, until she felt a sharp stabbing pain.

"Ouch!" She pushed him as she released a laugh, lifting one hand to her neck and looking at her finger. Her eyes widened when she found blood at the tip of her finger. "What the hell just happened?"

"Oh no," Tyler whispered as he put a hand over his mouth.

"Did you just bite me?!" She roared at him. She stumbled back and hit down a tree, sliding down against it as she looked nervously back and forth, already feeling the effects of the werewolf venom.

"Oh my god, Caroline. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Just get away from me!" She yelled at him. "Get away from me!"

Tyler looked like he wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do. Everyone was right, he can't make his own decisions. He turned around and ran, leaving Caroline back.

* * *

"What's taking her so long?" Bella wondered out loud; she was too drunk.

"How should we know?" Matt teased.

"Whatever." Bella said.

"Oh great. We've been abandoned," Elena said. "Okay, we're going on a search party."

Everyone groaned but knew Elena was right. They had to find Caroline. Not that anything might have happened to her, but just in case. They stood up and each them took their phones and turned on the flash, except for Matt who luckily brought a flashlight with him.

"Caroline!" He called out.

"Come on Caroline!" Elena yelled.

"Yeah Care! We don't have any more drinks!" Bella yelled as she looked around.

They aimlessly staggered around the grave yard, but unfortunately, no sign of the bubbly blonde.

"Watch out!" Jeremy shouted at Bonnie as he noticed something blurring close to her.

But it was too late. Bonnie was knocked out. Matt was thrown into the wall, also knocked out. Jeremy tired to run to Bella in an effort to protect her but his neck was snapped. Before Elena could move to Bella, she found her lying on the ground already, knocked out. She couldn't tell, however if she was dead or not.

Someone appeared in front of her and clamped her mouth shut. She finally got a good look at her and found out it was Stefan before he blurs away with her.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Elena demanded, yelling at the man she _used_ to be in a relationship with. "Stefan, let me out of this car. Do you hear me? Let me out of the car!"

"Be quiet," Stefan said in a soft commanding voice. He wanted to stop so he forced his humanity switch to go dimmer. But it was useless, he still _cared_ for her... deeply. But... he had to make Klaus pay for everything he had done to her, to her family, to her friends and, most of all, his brother.

"So, what's the plan, Stefan? What's the big move you're making?" Elena asked dryly.

"I took Klaus's family to make him suffer. I'm not gonna let him make himself a new one." Stefan answered, looking at her briefly.

"So, what are you gonna do, huh? Are you gonna lock me in some cave and keep me hostage?"

Stefan had an evil smirk on. "Maybe. Or maybe, I'll just turn you into a vampire."

Elena turned to look at him, her whole self had been locked with fear rising up. How could he say that? Didn't he remember that she never wanted to be one? That she wasn't ready to take the high road? That she hasn't exactly made up her mind? She didn't give a damn that he had his humanity off. She just wanted to go back to the party/funeral and go to her friends and siblings.

Elena began thrashing around, trying to pry open the door, kicking and punching everywhere. "Stop the car, Stefan! Stop the car!"

Stefan shook his head and reached out to his pocket to get his phone. He fished it out and his the speed dial. He put it on speaker phone and put it on the car dock.

"Stefan, how nice to hear your voice." Klaus said as soon as he answered the phone.

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus." Stefan said, straight to the point.

"Well that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back."

"Okay, well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge."

Elena looked at him bewildered. How could he? The same place where her parents died! The very same place where she almost died!

"I don't believe you Stefan. You won't kill her," Klaus said firmly.

Stefan did not hesitate. He bit his wrist and forced it on Elena's wrist, the car swerving a bit because of the abrupt movements in the car. When he was sure Elena drunk at least a few sips, he removed his wrist and returned to the steering wheel.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked as she forced more of the blood down her throat.

"What's going on?" Klaus demanded.

"I just fed her my blood," Stefan answered. "No more hybrids if she's a vampire."

"You won't do it," Klaus said, but he didn't know just how far Stefan could go.

"Really?" Stefan laughed one wryly. "Try me, because your coffins are next to go." He hit the gas pedal, going even faster as the Wickery bridge was nearing even closer. "Say goodbye to your family Klaus."

"Stefan, slow down!" Elena yelled, completely paralyzed with fear as memories of past events slammed into her. "Stefan! Stefan, stop it!"

"Fine!" Klaus finally said. "I'll send them away, you win."

Elena felt a little relief that Klaus finally gave in, but Stefan wasn't slowing the car down. "Stefan, stop!"

"Stop the car, Stefan!" Klaus commanded.

Stefan smiled wickedly; he won. He slammed on the brakes and the car skidded to a stop. He looked at his phone and saw that Klaus had already hung up.

When the car was completely immobile, she didn't hesitate to open the car door and get out. _How could he?!_ She asked herself as she wiped off the blood from her lips.

"Get back in the car," Stefan said as he left his vehicle.

"Stay away from me!" She said as she kept on walking. She didn't care where she was going, as long as it was away from him.

"Elena! Get in the car!"

"How could you?!" She snarled as tears made their way down her cheeks. "My parents died going over this bridge, _I_ almost died! You were... you were the one that saved me."

Stefan looked at her. Yes, he was the one who saved her, and it should be him who should save her now... from himself.

No, he shouldn't feel anything. He shouldn't care. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop feeling this way. This was the girl he loved. So instead of pushing the feeling away, he pretended to look like he didn't care.

"Look, he had to believe that I would do it, alright? Your fear sold it," He said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"What if he hadn't?" She asked shakily.

"He did."

"Well, what if he hadn't?" She asked, louder and angrier.

"He did Elena! He backed down! He has a weakness. If I know his weakness, I can destroy him!" Stefan yelled, just a bit louder than hers.

"After everything, that's what mattered? Destroying Klaus?" She asked, turning back and walking a few feet as her crying grew louder.

"Destroying Klaus is all I've left," he said softly, but loud enough for her human ears to hear.

"You had me!"

"I lost you the minute I left town with him. You just haven't let yourself admit that yet."

"Is that what you're doing? Trying to make me hate you?"

Her pain was growing.

I don't really care what you think about me anymore, Elena," he said as he stepped back, giving her one last lingering look. He knew this would hit below the belt but he had to make her not love him anymore. He didn't want her to get hurt because of him. He walked back to his car and drove away. Leaving a sobbing Elena in Wickery bridge.

* * *

"Sheriff Forbes!" Matt yelled from outside the house of the Forbes' family home, carrying Caroline.

"Oh my god," Elizabeth said as she ran to the door and opened it widely for Matt to come in. "What happened?"

Matt immediately went in as he half-ran to her room. "Tyler bit her."

"Sweetheart," Elizabeth said sympathetically and anxiously at Caroline. "Be careful," She told Matt as he laid her down on her bed. "Caroline, honey, can you hear me?"

"I'm so sorry, Mommy," Caroline sobbed as Elizabeth noticed that her daughter was paler than usual and a layer of shiny sweat covered her.

"She keeps hallucinating or something, I don't know," Matt said.

"Well, where are the others?" Sheriff Forbes asked, not looking at him as all of her attention was focused solely on her daughter.

"Bonnie's bringing Jeremy and Bella home. Someone knocked us out but killed Jeremy," he answered.

"What? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he'll be alright. It was a vampire or a hybrid, I think, who knocked me, Bonnie and Bella out and killed him. As long as something supernatural kills him, he's alright," he said, but he wasn't so sure himself.

"You know who did it?" Elizabeth asked, now facing him.

Matt looked at Caroline. "I think I have a pretty good idea who."

* * *

"Thanks for picking me up," Elena told Damon as they walked up the porch steps.

"Anytime," Damon said, putting on his signature smirk. "You gonna be okay?"

"I'll survive," she answered. "Somehow, I always do."

"You know, Stefan won this round for us today. He pushed Klaus to the edge and Klaus blinked," Damon said a little proudly, but the pride was wiped off when Elena walked away from him.

"Well, his methods sucked," she said.

"Still, we needed it. Klaus has been calling all the shots, and Stefan beat him at his own game. He was the better villain."

"Don't sound so impressed."

"Well, I can't help but be a little proud," Damon said, smirking, before he turned serious and walked towards her, lifting a hand to caress her cheek. "Really tell me, are you gonna be okay?"

"You can't kiss me again," Elena said.

"I know," Damon said.

"It's not right."

"I know."

"I'm going to kill him!" Both of them heard someone curse from inside. Elena rushed inside because it was Jeremy's voice. Damon just rolled his eyes but followed her anyway.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked as he found Jeremy kneeling on the floor beside the couch with Bella on in, who was still unconscious apparently. Bonnie was in the kitchen, getting some water, for Jeremy, most likely. "Oh, Bella." She said softly as she knelt down beside Jeremy, gently stroking her cheek as she scrutinized any injury on her. Upon further inspection, she found her temple badly bruised again, like yesterday, but at least this time, there wasn't any wounds.

"Here," Bonnie said as he handed her a cup of water.

"Thanks," Jeremy responded as he downed the drink quickly.

Damon felt conflicted. Now his pride for Stefan was completely washed away as he found the girl that he loved because of her beauty, courage and spunk knocked out on the couch because of his idiot little brother.

Bella opened her eyes and and groaned, her hand flew to her head as the pain of her concussion attacked.

"Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" Jeremy asked worriedly.

Bella looked at him weakly before lifting her hand to slap him across the face.

"Of course I can hear you, dumbass," she said, causing everyone to chuckle a little.

"That marks the first time I'm glad hearing you say that," Jeremy said as he hugged his twin.

Damon walked forward towards her and kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad you're okay too, Cara," he said as he bit into his wrist and offered it to the youngest Gilbert.

She smiled up at him and accepted the offer. "Grazie," she said before drinking his blood.

* * *

Both Matt and Sheriff Forbes were relieved to received a call from Bonnie that Jeremy was back from dying and that Bella was healed from her concussion, but there was one more matter to be concerned about... Caroline. Her bite was becoming worse by the second and both of them didn't know what to do.

There was a knock on the door and they saw the Original Hybrid standing at the front door. Matt didn't really want to but he stood up and opened the door anyway, not saying anything.

"Tyler came to see me." Klaus said. "Poor boy, he seemed quiet distressed, he said Caroline had a terrible accident."

"You made him do this to her." Matt accused. "He would have never done something like this."

"I'm here to help, Matt," he said. "My blood will heal her. Please, ask the Sheriff to invite me inside."

"I know how this game works. You want something in return." Elizabeth said as she made her presence known.

"Just your support."

Sheriff Forbes silently debated with herself. She knew better than to let the most evil creature on the planet inside her house, but when her daughter's life was on the line..."Come in."

He smirked a little and came in. Sheriff Forbes pointed to the open room. He didn't need to know the bitten vampire was there, he could smell the werewolf poison himself. As soon as he saw her, it felt something warm in his stomach. A warm pleasant feeling...

"Are you going to kill me?" Caroline asked as soon as he saw him.

"On your birthday?" He asked softly. "You really think that low of me?"

"Yes." She said without hesitation.

He was a little hurt that this fine piece of vampire beauty thought of him as _that_ diabolical. Okay, maybe he was, but... there was something about her that attracted him to her. So he used that attraction and walked closer to her to inspect the wound. He removed the cloth that was covering it and found it spreading quite quickly.

"That looks bad," he said. "My apologies, you're what's known as collateral damage, it's nothing personal." He touched one of the charms of her charm bracelet. "I love birthdays."

"Yeah. Aren't you like...a billion, or something?"

"Well you have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions. You're free."

"No, I'm dying," she pointed out.

"And I could let you die," he began. "if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I thought about it myself, once or twice over the centuries, truth will be told. But I'll let you in on a little secret. There is a whole world out there, waiting for you. Great cities and art and music, genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask." He didn't know where those words came from, but he really wanted to say it to her. He didn't want her to die. He wanted to know more about this... this... this Caroline Forbes.

"I don't wanna die," she said finally, a little shaken.

Klaus smiled a little, his words did it. He sat on the bed and lifted her head carefully if not affectionately. He put his wrist in front of her."There you go, sweetheart. Have at it."

Caroline wanted to look up at him, but she couldn't. The bite really hurt so she leaned in closer the wrist and bit it, her vampire visage slowly coming out as she sipped his blood carefully.

"Happy birthday, Caroline."

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING

* * *

Caroline felt herself waking up. Without opening her eyes, she stretched her arms out. The events that took place came back to mind. Her eyes opened and touched the place where Tyler had bitten her. She was a little skeptical why the bite wasn't there anymore.

Shouldn't she be dying or something?

And then she remembered that she got a visit yesterday from Klaus. The evil hybrid himself came to her room to save her life.

She looked at her bedside table and found a black rectangular box with a white ribbon tied to it. Her eyebrows knitted together as she wondered from who it came from. She stretched her hand towards it and took it. She inspected the box and found a card taped on top.

_From Klaus,_ it read with somewhere in between an elegant handwriting and a messy one.

She pulled an end of the ribbon to untie and opened the box. Inside it, she found a silver bracelet with diamond studs everywhere, the rays of the sun streaming from her window hit it, releasing a beautiful sparkling glistening spectacle.

She suddenly began thinking.

Who was Klaus?

Who was he really?

She sighed, but smiled a little as she took the bracelet and wore it, opposite the hand where Tyler's own gift was. She stood up and changed her clothing to something a little more decent as her day's schedule was to begin, right after she said goodbye to her best friend's little sister, whom she also considered as a best friend.

* * *

Her normal crowd of friends, minus Tyler, Stefan and Damon, now surrounded her in the Gilbert household. All of them were sad to see her leave, but they ust put on brave faces and smiled as tears were swimming in their eyes.

"You know, you're going to have to let me go eventually," Bella said to Elena.

Elena chuckled shakily as she let Bella go, but had a firm grip on her arms. "Be safe, okay?"

"Yeah, course," Bella said.

Matt spun her around and gave her a warm received hug. "Don't take any sort of crap from anyone! If anyone messes with you, don't hesitate to call me and I'll put them in their rightful places."

"I'll put that in mind," Bella said as she returned the hug.

It was Caroline's turn to hug her. "Yeah, Bella. You're our little sister. So, call me anytime you need older sister advice. If Elena failed to give that, call me or Bonnie."

"Hey," Elena said, smiling a little at Caroline.

"Hey, Elena's a great older sister, but sure."

Bella moved on from the blonde vampire to the black-haired witch. "Please, just be safe Bella."

"Will do."

Bonnie gave her a smile before passing her to Jeremy.

Jeremy and Bella looked at each other before she broke into tears and crashed to him. Jeremy caught her and help unto her tight.

"Caroline's right, Bella," Jeremy whispered in her hair. "You really _are_ our little sister. So keep safe for me, sis."

"I think I promised that way too many times," Bella said, giving off a watery smile. "I'll miss you so much, Jer."

"Me too."

"I wonder how I'll survive without my other half," Bella joked.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," he said before pushing her away gently. He dug in his pocket and pulled something out. He took one of her hands and lightly slapped something on her palm. She looked down and found her ring. "You were right. It really _would_ be my fault if you died."

Bella took her ring and slid it on her fore finger. "Thank you. Wouldn't wanna go off to boring old Forks dead."

She looked at Elena who was holding back tears. "He isn't coming, isn't he?" She asked her elder sister, knowing that she would know who she was indicating.

"I'm not really sure," was the response she received from Elena.

She sighed and headed for the doorway. She jumped a little when her way was blocked by someone. The only thing she caught was black. She looked up and found herself staring into icy blue eyes.

"Damon," she said as she hugged him.

"Hey, Isabella," he greeted her as he wrapped his arms around her. "Now tell me why you were thinking that I wouldn't come to say goodbye to my favorite twin?"

"You didn't show up, so I just assumed."

"Well stop assuming."

"I know I should. You're a man who's just full of surprises."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, smirking. He kissed her forehead. "Be safe. See you soon, Cara." and he blurred away.

"Well, that was an abrupt visit," Caroline commented as she crossed her arms.

"At least he came to say goodbye," Bella whispered and headed for the car where Alaric was waiting.

She opened her car door, her baggage were already placed inside by Jeremy and Matt. The rest of her stuff were in the trunk. She was about to sit down when someone blurred in front of her, causing her to jump out of her skin.

"Holy crap!" She yelled as she looked up. This time she wasn't staring into blue eyes; she was gazing right into brown ones.

"Tyler," she whispered softly as she closed the car door and hugged the hybrid.

"Good, you haven't left yet," he said, hugging her warmly as well.

"What are you doin' here?" She asked.

"I came to say goodbye," he replied. "I won't give you any crap talk about keeping safe and all that. I'm sure everyone already told you that," and her laugh confirmed it.

He let her go and smiled sadly at her as she entered the car. Before she closed it, she smiled at him.

As soon as the door was slammed shut, Alaric started the engine and drove away, leaving Tyler in the middle of the street, staring after the car.

The others, too, was gazing after the car. Jeremy didn't, however. He just walked straight up his room and locked it. Saying goodbye may have been hard, but watching the car carry your twin sister away was even harder.

Meanwhile, from afar, Stefan was watching in a distance. Him and Bella used to be close. He treated her like his own little sister as she treated him like her older brother. All that was wiped away the minute he left town with Klaus. More of his humanity was threatening to come back to him again. He let it as he whispered, "Keep safe, Bells. I'll miss you too."

* * *

**A/N: **

**Like it? Hate it? Love it? Please review to let me know your opinion!**

**I'm sorry for not updating HLM and TH, I just wanted to really update this one. I might update one of them today! **

**For all the mistakes made, I'm sorry!**


	4. AN

**NO NO NO NO! **

**I'M SORRY. I CAN'T UPDATE ANY OF THE OTHER STORIES TODAY. I AM DEVASTATED AND MOURNING AND GRIEVING. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I'M TYPING RIGHT NOW. **

**MY FAVORITE MUSICAL COMEDY TELEVISION SHOW'S MALE LEAD WAS FOUND DEAD EARLIER TODAY. CORY MONTEITH. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND I JUST CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIM TODAY. I'M SORRY BUT I CAN'T WRITE BECAUSE OF THE DEPRESSION. **

**I KNOW THIS MAY SEEM SILLY TO YOU, BUT IT ISN'T TO ME. MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND THE GLEE CAST!**

**MAY YOU REST IN PEACE, CORY...**


	5. Seeking Refuge

**A/N: Ha ha! Here we go! The chapter we've all been waiting for; the day Bella arrives in Forks! Will we see Edward? Hmm… We'll find out!**

**By the way, if you like the CW'S Beauty and the Beast, go read a crossover I have started of it and Twilight. It's called Secrets That Tear Up Apart. Please read it. :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except plot.**

* * *

**Chapter Three – SEEKING REFUGE**

_I'll pretend I'm okay with it all_

_Act like there's nothing wrong_

_Is it over yet?_

_Can I open my eyes?_

_This is hard as it gets_

_Is this what it feels like to really cry?_

* * *

BPOV

"Well, here we are," Alaric said awkwardly as he parked the car in front of a vaguely familiar white house in a town that was pouring cats and dogs. I disliked rain and preferred the sunny weather of Mystic Falls, but somehow I was still excited. "Here," he handed me an umbrella. "Take this, I'm taking your bags; head to the porch."

"Nah, it's alright," I said. I grabbed my backpack that contained my most important essentials and slung it over my shoulder. I opened the door and the umbrella, shielding myself from the rain, but it was useless because the wind was blowing the rain that it was hitting me almost in a horizontal way instead of the usual vertical. I hurried to Alaric's door, where he was already coming out. I held the umbrella for both of us. He gave me a tiny smile.

"This is ridiculous, Bells. You're making me feel like some old dude," he said as we walked to the already opened trunk. He lifted it up. He took my suitcase in one hand and my duffel in the other.

"Technically, you_ are_ old," I kidded.

As soon as his hands were out of the way, I shut the trunk close. We walked up to the house and by the time we were on the porch, we were shaking because of the cold.

Before Alaric could even knock, the door was already answered by my dad's old friend.

"Isabella," Charlie greeted me happily, pulling me into a hug. "Boy, you've grown! You're not that little mischievous kid anymore."

"I'm not so sure about that," Alaric said, chuckling. "She's still little and she's still mischievous, but you're right about the kid part."

"Hey," Charlie said, directing it to Ric as he let me go, offering his hand to him. "You must be Alaric Saltzman."

"Yeah," Ric replied and shook hands with him.

"Well, come in," Charlie said, stepping back and opening the door wider.

"Thanks but no thanks. I've get to get going," Ric said. He gestured toward my bags. "Here are her bags."

"Okay," Charlie said, picking up the bags and heading inside. "C'mon, Isabella, I've got your room ready for you."

"Just Bella!" I yelled after him as he was walking up the steps.

"Ya still haven't changed, kid!" He yelled back.

"Whoever said I did?!"

Ric smiled and put his hands on either of my shoulders. "You be good, okay?"

I looked up, pretending to consider. "Hmm, I'm not entirely sure if I can guarantee that." I felt my face soften before I let myself crash into him. "I'll miss you, Ric."

"I'll miss you, too, Bells," He whispered back. "You Gilbert kids have grown on me."

"I'm glad we did. Bye, Ric."

"Yeah, bye, Bells." We both let go and he took the umbrella from me, and walked into the rain. Halfway to the car, he turned around and said, "If you can't guarantee to be good, at least don't cause too much trouble. I don't want Elena storming over here."

"That makes two of us!" I yelled at through the rain. I didn't stick around to watch him. I headed inside the house, where I found Charlie in the kitchen, already making hot chocolate.

* * *

"Do you think they're already there?" Elena asked Jeremy worriedly.

"Chill, Elena," Jeremy said, trying to calm his sister, already a bit dizzy from watching her pacing back and forth. "It's raining there. Besides, you know how Bella is with rain."

Elena whirled around to face her brother and was about to say something when she was stopped by the sound of their front door opening. She craned her neck around to see who it was and saw that it was none other than the black haired vampire, smirking as he strutted in the room.

"Well, you can relax now, princess," he said, sitting on the arm of a cushioned chair. "Ric just called. Isabella's all safe in dull Forks."

"Really?" Elena said; Damon nodding in response. "Then maybe I should call her to-"

"Elena," Jeremy interrupted. "Give the girl some time to settle in."

Elena looked at him then gave him a small warm smile. "Fine," she replied, tucking her phone back in her pocket. "How… how is she?"

"She's doing great so far," Jeremy answered, pausing for a moment to _read _her emotions through their connection. "She's not homesick. She's… happy."

"Of course she is!" Damon said. "My compulsion worked, so of course Car– I mean, Isabella is happy."

Elena was about to respond when her phone suddenly buzzed from her pocket. She gave a puzzled look before fishing it out. On her screen, Bonnie's name was flashing, indicated that the text was from the little witch.

Tapping here and there, she opened the text and read through.

_Meet me in the old witches' house now. Its urgent. And dont bring anyone else along. –Bon_

Her eyebrows furrowed and wondered what could be so urgent? But this was Bonnie, she wouldn't call or text unless she _really _needed help. She glanced at the two boys who were carefully watching her and said, "I'm going to go meet Bonnie. See you two in a bit."

She darted for the door and just before the door connected with the doorway, Damon yelled her name.

Elena, startled, had to hold the door and give him an impatient look. "Yeah?"

"Isabella's going to be fine," he said, now standing up.

Elena smiled just a little to tell him thank you and she closed the door.

Damon looked down at the middle child Gilbert sibling and said nothing as he headed out the door.

"Where are you going?" Jeremy called out. He didn't really care since he was Damon Salvatore, but he just wanted to ask. Curiosity killed the cat…

Damon turned around and smirked. "Making sure your sister doesn't get into trouble." And with that, he left the house, blurring as he did.

"Sure," Jeremy said uneasily. He got up and took one of his controllers for his XBOX 360. He turned on the gaming console and began playing one of his favorites, Call of Duty. He wanted to play Battlefield 3, but that damn game is lost somewhere in Matt's house.

He was happy, but that happiness wasn't his, but either way, he was happy that she was happy. He missed her, but if this was the only way for her to be safe. Then so be it.

He was happy.

* * *

"Forks High," Charlie said, slapping down the paper on the coffee table as we were eating pizza for lunch. He cancelled all plans concerning work just to help me settle. Of course I told him it was completely unnecessary, but he wouldn't listen. He continued, "It's a good school."

"It's the _only_ school," I said, laughing.

"Nah, that's not true," he said. "There's one down the rez."

"Down at La Push?" I asked.

"Yeah, you remember Ja–"

"Jacob Black. How could I forget?" I said, grinning. "Kid always used to beat me in tag…" I reminisced before I remembered we were still talking about my new school. "Anyway, Forks High School?"

"Yeah," he said as he swallowed down the pizza he was chewing. "School said you were starting tomorrow. You just have to pick up the schedule."

"Charlie," I said uneasily. "Do you mind if I just go to Port Angeles?"

"Port Angeles? That's too far. Why?" He asked without looking at me, watching intently at the game he was watching.

"Well, before I start school tomorrow, I kind of need some stuff. I wasn't able to bring everything I needed."

He looked down at me and offered me a smile. "Sure thing, kiddo."

I smiled at him to show him I was thankful. "Thanks, Charlie." I didn't wait for his reply. I finished the remaining pizza that was in my hand and took my can of soda, downed it carefully and put it back on the table.

I was so happy I took my skateboard with me. Ever since the incident I had with my beautiful 2012 Chevrolet Camaro coupe (Damon bought it for me to match his '68 Camaro convertible SS), Elena, Jeremy, Aunt Jenna, Stefan (back when he was good), Matt, Caroline, and the list goes on and on, practically banned me from driving cars ever again. Ugh, the car just _almost_ tumbled down the Wickery Bridge. Okay, maybe it _was_ bad, but it wasn't my fault Kathy (my old friend who died because of a vampire) gave me six full cups of vodka.

Anyway, I grabbed my board and my helmet and was about to step out the house when Charlie called out, "Bells."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah?" I asked, turning around. I almost had a mini-heart attack when I saw standing a few feet away from me, leaning on the wall.

"You're going all the way to Port Angeles with that?" He asked, pointing at my skateboard.

"No," I said slowly. I didn't know where this was going. Was he concerned? Or his police instincts were kicking in? "I was going to take a cab."

"Then what do you need that for?"

"Riding around Port Angeles…?" I said, but it sounded more like a question.

"Here," he said, tossing something in the air, making a clinking noise as I caught it. I looked down at my palm and saw a set of keys with a remote and a logo of Mercedes-Benz.

I looked at him wide-eyed. What the fuck did this mean?

"That's for your car," he said. "Parked in the garage. Don't worry; I asked permission from your siblings. Oh and here's a little something," his hand plunged into his pocket and fished out his wallet. With my heart already beating so rapidly, it beat even faster when he pulled out a couple of paper bills and I think my heart stopped when I saw the bill facing me was a hundred.

I wasn't really used to this. Because of how much hell I've been through, I wasn't use to this.

"Charlie, you don't have to-"

"Nah, it's fine. C'mon, Bells. Consider it a little gift," he said, smiling to show that it was fine.

Yes, it was fine to him. But to me? Damn.

"But-"

"Bells, last I checked you were a guest here. So, I think you have to accept it."

"Well, as you have put it, I _am _a guest here, so I think I can politely refuse the extreme generosity and hospitality that host has given me. Especially when he gave the guest a car."

"Nice, you've improved your English," he said, smiling even more. "Last time you were here, you were a little rusty."

I rolled my eyes. "Are we really going to discuss my use of the English language?"

"No, we were still discussing how a guest was supposed to accept what a host gives her. And I won't take no for an answer."

"But, Charlie…"

"Just now and I promise I won't do something this extreme next time."

I sighed and just gave in. I'll just have to return the change to him when I'll be done. "Okay," I said, taking it from him.

I didn't bother checking how much he gave me. I just shoved in the back pocket of my jeans.

"Thanks, Charlie!" I said before racing out the front door, with my board and gear still at hand.

The rain had stopped hours ago, but the clouds were still there, not letting the sun rays pass through, leaving the pavement still damp. I walked over to the garage and found the garage door already open. I took a good look at this car of mine and my mouth hung open. I didn't even notice that I dropped my skateboard and helmet until I heard them crash.

It was a fucking Mercedes-Benz S-Guard!

What was I?

The president of the United States?

Why would I need _four thousand pounds _of body armor and missile-proof glass?

Was I really that accident-prone?

Whatever.

But either way, Charlie's actions were more than generous. I was touched.

I picked up my things that have fallen to the concrete and ran to my car, jumping in. I jammed the key in the ignition and started it, loving the purr of the car.

"Oh yeah…" I said. "Thank you, Charlie, Lena and Jer!"

* * *

He stood by his bed, impatiently tapping his foot on the floor as he waited for the person on the other line to fucking pick up his damn phone.

"Hello?" He finally answered.

He huffed. "Finally!" He said.

"Oh Damon. What is it?"

"Is she fine? Did she take it?" He asked hurriedly.

"Yeah, she's fine. She just left. And yes, she took it. Both, I mean."

"Alright," Damon said, kind of relieved. "Take care of her, Charlie."

"Of course," Charlie replied, sounding offended.

Damon didn't bother saying a goodbye to conclude the conversation. He just slid the phone shut and stuffed it back in his jacket pocket.

Yeah, getting Bella the Mercedes-Benz may have cost him a couple hundred thousand dollars (yes, he bought it. Do you really think he wanted her to get caught with an unregistered car?), but it was damn worth it.

If she was going to live in a state that was practically across the country, then she was going to get the best protection.

He picked up his opened bottle of scotch and downed a gulp, already missing the little Gilbert.

* * *

~ONE HOUR LATER~

* * *

Bella may have lived her entire life with Elena, Bonnie and Caroline, but she mostly spent her times with the guys, so naturally, she wasn't exactly the shopping kind of girl.

Speaking of guys and shopping...

She couldn't stop thinking about her big sister and brother. She missed them both so much, but she knew moving away from Mystic Falls was her best option. That she could have a better life.

She concentrated on her twin brother's link between them and can't help but wonder... was he truly happy? He felt happiness radiating from him, at the same time, there was slight sadness and adrenaline, the type that only came from him playing with his video games. There was one thing she was sure though. The happiness he was feeling mostly came from her. It was her happiness affecting him and mirrored back to her.

Talk about complicated huh?

She dropped the paper bags in the open trunk. After placing all the bags properly, she slammed the trunk shut of the S-Guard.

She sighed and walked to the driver's side. When she locked the car, she pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial, putting it on her ear.

She sighed when it said that the person was unavailable. She tried again and about five rings later, he finally answered.

"Missing your other half already?"

* * *

Jeremy had been playing COD most of the morning, but he grew bored of it rathet fast. So, he stopped the game, stood up and replaced the disc with another, which was another one of his favorites, God of War. It was actually Bella's favorite too, along with Tekken.

He didn't bother picking up from he last saved; he just started the game all the way from the beginning. His mind was already formulating mental images of his twin and him, kidding around as they played the game.

He jumped suddenly when his phone went off.

Normally, he would ignore it.

But the damn ringtone was Bella's, obviously indicating that the caller was Bella.

He paused the and began his mini scavenger hunt for his phone when he found out it wasn't on him.

YOU ARE A BRICK TIED TO ME THAT'S DRAGGING ME DOWN  
STRIKE A MATCH AND I'LL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND

WE ARE THE JACK-O-LANTERNS IN JULY  
SETTING FIRE TO THE SKY

HERE IT COMES, THIS RISING TIDE  
SO COME ON!

"Where's my phone?" He wondered out loud as he tossed everything from the couch and even resorted to checking under the cushions.

PUT ON YOUR WAR PAINT!

CROSS WALKS AND CROSSED HEARTS AND HOPE-TO-DIES  
SILVER CLOUDS WITH GRAY LINING

"Dammit, where the hell is it?" He yelled.

SO WE CAN TAKE THE WORLD BACK FROM A HEART ATTACK  
ONE MANIAC AT A TIME WE WILL TAKE IT BACK  
YOU KNOW TIME CRAWLS ON WHEN YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE SONG TO START  
SO DANCE ALONE TO THE BEAT OF YOUR HEART!

"Ah!" He cried out in frustration. "DAMMIT!"

HEY YOUNG BLOOD  
DOESN'T IT FEEL LIKE OUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT?  
I'M GONNA CHANGE YOU LIKE A-

The phone abruptly ended, making Jeremy wonder why Bella ended the call, still turning around three sixty degrees still looking for his damn phone.

Not later than thirty seconds later did his mobile phone repeat it's assault.

YOU ARE A BRICK TIED TO ME THAT'S DRAGGING ME DOWN  
STRIKE A MATCH AND I'LL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND

WE ARE THE JACK-O-LANTERNS IN JULY  
SETTING FIRE TO THE SKY

HERE IT COMES, THIS RISING TIDE  
SO COME ON!

PUT ON YOUR WAR PAINT!

CROSS WALKS AND CROSSED HEARTS AND HOPE-TO-DIES  
SILVER CLOUDS WITH GRAY LINING

SO WE CAN TAKE THE WORLD BACK FROM A HEART ATTACK  
ONE MANIAC AT A TIME WE WILL TAKE IT BACK

YOU KNOW TIME CRAWLS ON WHEN YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE SONG TO START  
SO DANCE ALONE TO THE BEAT OF YOUR-

He finally found his damn phone which had been sitting beside the game console the whole time. He picked up, not bothered with a salutation and just said, "Missing your other half already?"

The voice on the other end chuckled, causing him to smile involuntarily. "I think it's the other way around."

He laughed along to her giggles. "Alright, I'll give you that. So how's boring old Forks? Still boring and old?"

"Not so sure, really. I haven't looked around so much. I'm here in Port Angeles."

"Port Angeles? Why are you there?"

"I bought some stuff, stupid," she teased in a way that made him know that she didn't really mean the thing she called him.

"When's school starting?" He asked.

"Tomorrow. Ugh, schools are evil. I do they even exist?"

"You need school, grumpy."

"School is unnecessary; we have bad ass vamps, witches, werewolves and damn hybrids already messing with our fate. And our big sister is a doppelganger and we can't forget about our link. So why should we really study? Isn't that enough trouble already?"

Jeremy had his eyes closed and he was pinching the bridge of his nose. When she was having these types of speeches, he'd just shut up and wait fir her to finish. "You done?"

She took in a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, I guess I am... I miss you, Jer."

"I miss you too, Bells... but you know this is the only way." He said.

"Yeah, I know. Okay, talk to you later, bro. Tell Lena I said hi!" And the phone call was ended with the sound of an engine starting.

He was skeptical why Bella was driving a car because he and Elena practically banned her from automobiles and remembered when Charlie called earlier, asking permission and to ensure that she will be safe.

The door suddenly flung open and he turned around to see who, finding his sister and his girlfriend waling in with thick files in their hands.

"Who's that?" Elena asked as she passed him with Bonnie trailing her, nodding toward the phone that he was holding to his ear. She laid down the stacks of papers and faced him.

"Oh no one," he said, tucking his phone back in his pocket. "And Bells says hi."

Elena's eyes widened. "That was Bella? What did she say?"

"Relax, Elena. She just called to say hi. She just left Port Angeles."

"Port Angeles?" She asked as she helped Bonnie remove all the papers from the envelopes.

"She was doing some shopping, I think."

Bonnie snickered. "Bella? Shopping? I never knew those two words coukd come together in a sentence."

Jeremy ignored her, rolling his eyes in amusement, his attention falling ti the piles of papers that were on the dining table."What's all this?" He asked, taking a sheet of paper and examined it; only finding the picture of a dark-skinned woman who was named Abby Bennett with her details on it.

"We're going to look for Bonnie's mom."

* * *

Flash forward to the night where crap happened to Elena, Bonnie and Stefan as they met Abby and her stepson Jamie. (You all know this).

* * *

"Are you serious?" Bella asked through the phone, sprawled all over her bed. "You went through all that crap by just meeting Bonnie's mom?"

"It wasn't all that bad, you know," Elena said, but yeah, she guessed it was bad.

"You were tied to a pole while watching your ex-boyfriend get shot in the chest with wooden bullets by Bonnie's mom's son and Bonnie was drugged where she was taken to a hybrid so that her mother can ask her personally where the coffins but was really warning her... did I leave anything out?"

"Okay, when you put it like that it's all bad..."

"Lena, no matter what angle you look at it, it's all bad. You okay though?" She asked her big sister out of genuine concern.

Elena smiled a little. "Yeah, Bella. No need to worry. How about you? How are you?"

"Fine. Nothing more to it though. Tomorrow, I'm starting school. Oh do you know the car Charlie gave me?"

"N-No," she stuttered out her reply. She still wasn't used to her driving a car, but she knew the Chief would keep her from stupid things. "What about it?"

"He gave me a friggen S-Guard!" She whisper-shouted.

"What's an S-Guard?" Elena asked, she wasn't the kind of girl who liked cars, much opposed to her younger sister.

"It's a Mercedes-Benz. It's basically indestructible; thing's even missile proof," she answered.

Elena breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She was actually touched that Charlie went through all that just to get her such a car.

She glanced at the clock and noticed it was ten thirty three pm.

"You should sleep now. You have school tomorrow," Elena said, already preparing to end the phone call.

Bella laughed on the other end. "Stop babying me, Lena. I'm not a baby anymore."

Elena rolled her eyes. "But you'll forever be my baby sister. Goodnight, Bella."

"Night, Lena. Love you."

"Love you, too."

The phone call ended. Elena smiled contently and laid down on the bed. She knew her sister was in good hands. She closed her eyes and began to drift away into the land of the sleep. Unknowing to her that Damon was near the house where he heard the entire conversation, smirking away like an idiot.

But no matter how proud he may have felt, he missed his Cara.

* * *

YOU ARE A BRICK TIED TO ME THAT'S DRAGGING ME DOWN  
STRIKE A MATCH AND I'LL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND

WE ARE THE JACK-O-LANTERNS IN JULY  
SETTING FIRE TO THE-

"Hello?" He answered sleepily. "Bella?"

"Oh you were sleeping. Sorry."

"Nah, I just jumped on bed. What's up?"

"Nothing just called to say goodnight... night, Jer."

"Goodnight, Bells. I love you."

"Love you too. Don't worry, after my horrible time in school, I'll call you and Elena to complain to."

Jeremy smirked. "Looking forward to it."

"Bye."

"Bye." he said and the call ended. He lightly tossed his phone beside his head.

Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day...

Bella, on the other hand, just laid there, thinking heavily...

Has she found her refuge?

* * *

**Short chappie I know, but my laptop's busted and I typed all of this with my Note 2.**

**Anyway, birthday cheers to one of my readers, Sara.A.A and to anyone else with birthdays today on the 12th of August. :)  
**

**All mistakes made are mine and I apologize.**


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